A general aerial view showing members of the fire and rescue services as they work at the scene after the collapse of the Jet Set Club’s roof (C) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Tuesday. The death toll from the collapse of the roof of a popular discotheque in the Dominican capital has risen to 124 Wednesday. Photo by XP3 Group/EPA-EFE
The death toll from the roof collapse of a nightclub in the Dominican Republic climbed to 184 with 155 injuries, officials said Wednesday night.
Also, 145 people were rescued from the wreckage in the first 24 hours, Juan Manuel Méndez, the director of the Emergency Operations Center, said. The cause of the collapse hasn’t been given.
Two former Major League Baseball players died: pitcher Octavio Dotel, 51, and first baseman Tony Blanco, 44.
The roof of the Jet Set Club in Santo Domingo, the capital of Santo Domingo, suddenly collapsed around 1a.m. Tuesday during a concert by merengue singer Rubby Pérez.
The update was made at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday by the Emergency Operation Center. Hours earlier, the toll was 124.
Identification of the deceased is the responsibility of the National Institute of Forensic Sciences, the EOC said, while reminding the public to avoid spreading unofficial lists of victims and rumors.
Many bodies hadn’t yet been identified.
At least 22 public institutions are helping with response efforts, officials said. They include rescue workers from Israel and 12 from Puerto Rico, Méndez said Wednesday.
Heavy machinery was used at the scene.
“You hear people who are trapped, screaming for help — it’s a bit difficult,” Daniel Heredia, a member of the Dominican Civil Protection Service, told CNN.
He lost a leg after an injury 15 years ago, and he leads a rescue team to search for survivors with a prosthetic limb.
Club owner Antonio Espaillat was out of the country when the incident occurred but returned to the Dominican Republic “to show solidarity with the victims and their families,” a statement on the club’s Instagram account states.
“There are not enough words to express the sorrow this event generates,” Espaillat said. “What happened was devastating for all. We want you to know that we are with you, that we share your grief.”
Search-and-rescue crews scoured the rubble overnight Tuesday looking for survivors, according to the EOC
Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez, said on Instagram that some of his family members in the Dominican Republic are missing.
Baseball players mourned
Tampa Bay Rays hitter Junior Caminero on Tuesday dedicated his first home run of the year to his home country.
“We were talking about it before the game, and I wanted to hit it for them,” Caminero told MLB.com through an interpreter. “It was hard for me not to cry when I hit the home run, because it was very emotional for me. But thank God, I was able to do it, and I dedicated that to the DR.”
After knocking the ball over the right-field fence against the Los Angeles Angels, he slowed down and shook his head as he rounded the bases. He then looked to the sky and softly pounded his chest twice as he crossed the plate.
Former MLB player Esteban Germán said he had just returned to the bathroom when Blanco noticed the ceiling started to come down. Germán said Blanco pushed him out of the way as the ceiling was getting ready to fall on him, ESPN reporter Hector Gomez posted on X.
The New York Mets had a moment of silence Tuesday night in tribute to the victims, including Dotel, a pitcher who played his first season in the majors with the team in 1999.
We mourn the passing of Octavio Dotel.
Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy in the Dominican Republic. pic.twitter.com/UZk88QiBoA— New York Mets (@Mets) April 8, 2025
Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwestern province of Monte Cristi and sister of seven-time MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz, also died.
“Major League Baseball is deeply saddened by the passings of Octavio Dotel, Tony Blanco, Nelsy Cruz and all the victims of last night’s tragedy in Santo Domingo,” commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
“We send our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of all those who have been affected and to our colleague Nelson and his entire family. The connection between baseball and the Dominican Republic runs deep, and we are thinking of all the Dominican players and fans across the game today.”
